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Columbus Blue Jackets Today

View SlideshowRequest to buy this photoRoss D. Franklin | Associated PressSpring study: A youngster checks out a program before a spring training game between the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Angels yesterday in Tempe, Ariz. For baseball news, see Page C12

GOLF

McIlroy leads, Woods nearly misses Honda Classic cut

Rory McIlroy bounced back from a rough start for a 4-under-par 66 that gave him a
one-shot lead yesterday in the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

McIlroy was at 11-under 129.

Brendon de Jonge was tied for the lead until making bogey on his final hole for a
64. He was one behind.

Tiger Woods had to scramble to make the cut.

Woods hit only two greens in regulation on the back nine of PGA National. His only birdie was on
the 13th when he chipped in. He shot 69 to make the cut on the number.

•
Ross Fisher of England stormed home with an eagle-birdie-birdie-par finish to grab
a one-shot lead in the Tshwane Open after the second round in Centurion, South Africa.

Fisher made five birdies and eagled the par-5 15th hole with a curling 40-footer at Copperleaf
for a 7-under-par 65. He’s 13 under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of
Morten Orum Madsen of Denmark.

•
Karrie Webb recovered from a back-nine lapse to card a 3-under 69 and open a
two-shot lead over American
Angela Stanford after two rounds of the HSBC Women’s Champions in Singapore.

FOOTBALL

Saints place franchise tag on tight end Graham

The New Orleans Saints placed their franchise tag on tight end
Jimmy Graham to protect their rights to him through next season. The move means
Graham will almost certainly play for New Orleans next season for no less than the tight end
franchise tag salary of $7.04 million.

• The Carolina Panthers used the franchise tag on All-Pro defensive end
Greg Hardy. Hardy will make $12.45 million next season.

• Receiver
Jeremy Maclin and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed on a one-year contract.

• The Baltimore Ravens and tight end
Dennis Pitta reached a five-year contract.

• The NFL’s salary cap for this season has been set at $133 million, the highest amount in
league history. Teams must comply with the cap number by March 11.

AUTO RACING

Keselowski to start on Sprint Cup pole at Phoenix

Brad Keselowski earned the pole at Phoenix International Raceway after making it
through NASCAR’s new qualifying format.

Keselowski had a fast lap of 139.384 mph, turning the mile oval in 25.828 seconds to earn a spot
on the front row next to
Joey Logano for Sunday’s 312-mile race.

Instead of going out one at a time, the entire field gets a 25-minute session to post their
fastest lap, with the top 12 moving on to a 10-minute second round. On bigger tracks, the
qualifying will have three sessions, with the field cut to 24 then 12.

LEGAL FILE

Panther sues IndyCar, Rahal over sponsorship

Panther Racing has filed a lawsuit against Hilliard-based Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing,
IndyCar and others alleging it lost a $17.2 million sponsorship with the Army National Guard
because of bid-rigging and other improprieties.

The lawsuit filed on Feb. 19 in Marion County Court in Indianapolis follows a ruling in January
by the U.S. Government Accountability Office denying Panther’s appeal of moving the National Guard
sponsorship to
Graham Rahal’s car for the upcoming IndyCar season.

Rahal racing officials said in a statement that Panther is raising many of the same issues it
raised with the GAO.